Greenwood: I Vote For Environment

August 19, 1992|by HAL MARCOVITZ, The Morning Call

State Sen. James C. Greenwood struck back yesterday at his opponent's claims that he is anti-environment by releasing a report of his own that defends his record on conservation issues while calling on incumbent Peter H. Kostmayer "to repudiate your distorted report and use it no more."

Greenwood, who is facing Kostmayer in this fall's 8th District congressional election, issued a 31-page report in response to the release Aug. 3 of a Kostmayer report labeled "Jim Greenwood's Environmental Dirty Dozen."

In the Kostmayer report, the congressman criticized Greenwood's record on environmental issues and cited 12 specific cases where he claimed the state senator voted against environmental legislation in Harrisburg.

After the "Dirty Dozen" report was issued, Greenwood angrily denied the accusation and claimed he has been an environmentally conscious legislator in the General Assembly.

Nevertheless, Kostmayer said he intends to use the Dirty Dozen report as a centerpiece in his campaign and feature it in print and television advertisements he plans to run this fall.

"You have said you intend to make these charges the centerpiece of your campaign," Greenwood said in a letter addressed to the congressman. "If you do, you demonstrate for all to see that the truth means nothing to you and only re-election matters."

Here is Greenwood's point-by-point response to the Dirty Dozen report:

*The state Superfund law. Kostmayer said Greenwood supported a package of amendments in committee that weakened the law.

*Later, he voted for a new set of amendments on the Senate floor that further handicapped the legislation.

Greenwood's response: The senator said he pushed in Harrisburg to make the federal government more responsible for hazardous waste clean-ups and to direct the state's resources to sites that do not qualify for federal funding. Greenwood also said he supported legislation that would provide incentives for violators to step forward and perform the clean-ups on their own. The Superfund bill Greenwood said he helped to write was a compromise that was often opposed by environmental groups. However, the senator said the law has proven to be effective and has gone a long way toward cleaning up hazardous waste sites in Pennsylvania.

"We made it clear that in instances where there was an imminent threat to the environment or health and safety of the people, the state could immediately move forward to clean up the site and later sue to recover clean-up costs," Greenwood's report said.

*Greenwood voted against a law that would make oil and gas companies reclaim the land they use for drilling.

Greenwood's response: He voted against the bill because it did not require oil and gas companies to post bonds that would help make them responsible for reclaiming the land. "The statement that I helped to gut the bill's environmental safeguards is simply not an honest statement," he said.

*The senator voted against a set of Department of Environmental Resources rules designed to strengthen air pollution laws in Pennsylvania.

Greenwood's response: The DER rules would have required retailers to reduce the fumes that are emitted through gasoline pumping at service stations. Greenwood voted against the rules, but co-sponsored a bill the same day to reduce the fumes in legislation designed to deal with the overall ozone pollution problem.

*Greenwood supports incineration of solid waste.

Greenwood's response: He did not answer a question on solid waste in a 1992 Sierra Club survey, which is apparently where Kostmayer drew the inference that he supports mass-burn incineration. According to Greenwood, he has written several letters to DER Secretary Arthur Davis opposing incineration and, specifically, the trash-to-steam plant proposed in Falls Township.

*The senator sponsored a bill making up to five state parks available for private development.

Greenwood's response: He favored the development of recreational facilities in up to five state parks. "Appropriate, environmentally sensitive marinas, lodges and museums can, in fact, enhance the public's enjoyment of certain state parks, if done correctly," the senator said.

*The Republican voted to weaken the law that makes businesses disclose the hazardous materials they use and store.

Greenwood's response: He did support certain exemptions for small non-manufacturing businesses, such as farms. Most of the provisions of the "Right to Know" law would still have applied to the small businesses.

*Greenwood voted against an investigation into corruption at DER.

Greenwood's response: When he served in the State House, he voted against a House committee inquiry into DER after he was assured that the state attorney general's office had undertaken an investigation into the agency.